Why Arthur Fils’ 2026 return could reignite one of tennis’ top talents

Arthur Fils is expected to return at the 2026 Montpellier Open, his first appearance there since reaching the semi-finals in 2023.

He last played on tour in August 2025 before being sidelined by a back injury. That issue forced him to miss the rest of the season, as well as much of 2025.

Now fit again, Fils will be hoping to pick up where he left off and get his career back on track. The Frenchman had shown plenty of promise before his layoff, and this event offers a good opportunity to build some early momentum in the new season.

The tournament runs from February 1st to February 8th and takes place at the Sud de France Arena in Montpellier.

At just 21 years old, Fils has already captured three ATP Tour titles, with his most recent victory coming at the Tokyo Open in October 2024. He’s currently ranked outside the top-30 due to limited playing time but was as high as number 14 prior to his injury issues.

The high point of Arthur Fils’ injury-hit season

Despite being hampered by injuries throughout most of last year, Arthur Fils still managed a few strong results when he was able to compete.

The Frenchman reached quarter-finals at both Miami and Monte-Carlo Masters events during that period. However, his best run came at Barcelona where he made it all the way to the semi-finals before falling short against Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.